Let the World Rush By
by theletterdee
Summary: the next installment of the Matthew/Alice soulmate marked au, this is an interlude between The Most Room and the next bit of the au, Wounds No One Can See. Matthew, Alice, and Anna enjoy a week long holiday at the seaside with no cases to work and no interruptions by phone (or Lucien) to finally relax a bit.
1. Chapter 1

_And we're back with the soulmate au! Set in between 5.05 and 5.06, enjoy this interlude where the Harveys and Matthew have a week long holiday at the beach before we dive into the next installment of the soulmate au after this. I don't know how many chapters this interlude will have... maybe no more than like, five? but do enjoy! - Dee_

* * *

"Mumma!"

Alice grinned at her daughter's gleeful shout as the girl ran towards her; ignoring the disapproving looks from some of the other mothers, Alice lifted Anna up into her arms with a laugh.

"Have a good day, Anna?"

"Yes," her daughter nodded. "Miss Roslin said I had the best reading today, and she liked my progress with the bean plant, _and_ I got to slide down the slide twice!"

"That's my girl," Alice kissed Anna's cheek before she put her down.

Anna immediately grasped her hand and swung it as they walked away from the school, "Is today the day, Mumma?"

"And what day would that be?"

Alice hid a smile at Anna's huff of impatience - she'd been asking every day for the past week whether or not it was 'the day' that they left for their vacation, and Alice enjoyed watching Anna's growing excitement.

"Is today when we go to the seaside?"

"Not yet," Alice twirled Anna around (making her giggle) as they reached Lydiard Street. "Tomorrow, Anna, we leave tomorrow morning, but we've got a surprise for Matthew today, do you remember?"

"Yes! He gets to see the house!"

She nodded, "He does, and hopefully by the time we come back all the repairs will be done."

"And then we get to do the painting?"

"Absolutely, you get to help me with it - including your room."

Anna skipped along as they walked to the police station; they were picking up Matthew (and Alice's car parked at the station) on the way to 7 Mycroft Avenue - with a brief detour to show him the house that would become their home in the near future.

"Do I get to pick the color of my room?"

"Of course, it's your room."

"Can it be pink?"

"If that's what you want."

"Or maybe purple."

Alice chuckled, "You'll have time to think about it."

Anna chattered away - still swinging their joined hands - as they drew closer to the station. Sergeant Hobart greeted them first - working on one of the police cars outside - and Anna ran towards him.

"Sergeant Bill!"

"Careful there, Miss Harvey, don't want to get your uniform all dirty," the sergeant smiled and stopped the girl before she could hug him. "Doc."

"Sergeant Hobart," Alice nodded. "Is the Superintendent still in?"

"Yeah, up to his eyes in paperwork, but I'm sure he'd be glad to see both of you."

"I made this for you!" Anna tugged on his trousers and passed Hobart a folded - and slightly crinkled - piece of paper. The sergeant's ears turned a little pink as he carefully (without getting too much grease on it) opened up the drawing Anna had given him.

(Alice even craned her neck a little to see the drawing and smiled at the colorful crude lines of Anna's hand recreating Sergeant Hobart and a police car)

His cheeks flushed to match his ears and Alice saw a variety of minute emotions cross his face before Hobart looked down at her daughter with a smile, "Thank you, Miss Harvey."

"Do you like it?"

"I do," he nodded. "I really like it."

Anna grinned - both of her front teeth now missing - and hugged Hobart's leg regardless of the grease. "You're welcome, Sergeant Bill."

Her daughter's fascination with Bill Hobart was something Alice was still figuring out (and coming to terms with); she knew of Hobart's character - and his past actions - and while he had pulled back on the physical aspects of his temper since Phillipe Noah's murder, Alice still pulled him aside one afternoon in the police station.

"_Sergeant Hobart."_

_He looked up from his desk - surprised to see her, "Doctor Harvey."_

"_Might I have a word with you, in private?"_

"_Of course," Hobart led her over to the corner where the kettle and tea were kept. "Would… would you like something to drink, Doctor?"_

_She tilted her head to the side and eyed him like a puzzle to be solved. (Alice hid the smirk at his obvious squirming, Sergeant Hobart didn't like being on the "other side of the table" as it were.)_

"_Yes, that would be nice."_

"_What did you want to talk with me about?" Hobart asked as he set about making a fresh pot of tea._

"_My daughter… and you."_

_He squirmed some more. "I… I just helped, I mean, I just stopped that kid from hurting her, Doc."_

"_I know, Sergeant, and I'm grateful. That's not what I'm talking about. You know of Anna's background?"_

"_Some - dropped off at an orphanage, which wasn't a good one, and lived half on the streets by the time she ran into you."_

"_And she was bullied there, as apparently she is at school."_

"_Yeah."_

_Alice took a sip of her tea - grimacing a little at the taste (she'd have to ask Matthew if they could put honey in the station) - and cradled the cup in her hands. "I don't like bullies, Sergeant. I never have… but my daughter likes you and she looks up to you. Anna __**needs **__good role models in her life after all she's been through; she __**needs**_ _to know that she can trust the adults I let into her life. All I ask of you, Sergeant, is that you be the kind of person you'd want her to look up to… clear?"_

"_As a bell, Doc," Hobart nodded. "And I'm trying, I really am."_

"_Good."_

Since their chat, Alice and Hobart had come to a sort of strange acquaintanceship: not really friends, and thanks to one Anna Harvey, not strictly colleagues. True to his word, Hobart was starting to shape up his act and Alice had yet to hear of another excessive force complaint about him.

Anna hugged him one last time and the Harveys entered the police station with matching smiles; it was time to pull Matthew away from work and to their future home.

* * *

He pinched the bridge of his nose as he took a break from the files in front of him; somehow the universe always piled on the work right before he took time off - Matthew wasn't quite sure how fair that was to him, but he diligently worked through as much of it as he could before the day finished. The rest could wait until their trip was done; he was looking forward to the vacation.

His girls were too: Anna was curious about the seaside and the science behind it all (reading all she could about it once Alice told her where they were going), and Alice was actually looking forward to a break from the morgue and work (something he'd never thought he'd see). It would be Anna's first time at the beach, and Alice's first time in a long time, so Matthew indulged them both a little more than he usually would (with the help of one Miss Fisher and Jack Robinson).

He'd secured a week at a cottage for rent - even if he and Alice were bonded, most hotels would still look down upon an unmarried man and woman staying together with a child - that gave them the privacy they wanted, but was close to the beach so they could walk to it every day. Matthew had also purchased something he never thought he would ever possess; Rose had all but badgered him into buying the camera for their trip, and Matthew indulged his niece mostly because he knew Alice and Anna would have fun figuring the blasted thing out.

(That and Rose would go back to badgering him about cases and he could have a modicum of peace by shooing her away to bother Charlie.)

Jean, luckily, was somewhat familiar with cameras after Lucien bought one before their anniversary trip and helped him set it up. It sat on his bedside table - ready to go once Alice and Anna got home from school.

As if summoning them, his girls walked into the bullpen and Anna ran towards him (accompanied by a fond smile from Alice).

"Hey there," Matthew smiled and pushed back his chair far enough so Anna could hug him as tight as she wanted around his neck - which she did. "Have a good day at school?"

"Yes!"

Alice joined them at the desk and they shared a smile over Anna's head as he pulled the girl onto his good knee while she told Matthew all about her day. It reminded him of Rose doing the same thing when she was younger - though her recounts of her school days were more about reading and writing and less about all of the scientific experiments she watched the older kids get to do.

"Miss Roslin is very proud of Anna's reading, did she tell you?" Alice leaned over and kissed his cheek after Anna jumped down from his lap to go hug an arriving Charlie.

"I think she was more excited to tell me about the progress of her bean plant, sweetheart."

She let out a laugh and kissed his cheek again, "Her teacher - according to Anna - said she had the best reading today. Looks like our nightly reading sessions have been helping."

"You just like hearing my voice, don't you?"

She said nothing - though the light blush spreading across her cheeks and ears told him all he needed to know; Alice swatted at his shoulder with a scoff at his teasing grin.

"Had enough work today?"

"Yes ma'am," he nodded and stood from his desk.

Matthew slipped an arm around Alice's waist before she could walk away and pulled her in for a light kiss; he smiled at the blush on her cheeks when he drew back - she was still a little shy about showing him affection in public.

"Come along, Anna," Alice called out to her daughter - who hugged Charlie one more time before she skipped to Alice's side. Anna practically bounced to Alice's car and Matthew couldn't hold back his amusement.

"Someone's excited for tomorrow," he whispered in Alice's ear - his hand warm at the small of her back. "Are you?"

"I'm excited to see _you_ at the seaside," she teased, "and in bathers no less."

Matthew snuck a kiss to her neck - grinning when she squirmed away from him, "I'm looking forward to _yours_, sweetheart."

She just swatted at his side as they approached her car; he eased himself down into the passenger seat with a tired sigh as Alice helped Anna into the back and soon they pulled away from the station.

"Where are we going?" he asked when Alice turned down a different street - one she usually didn't go on to get to the Blakes.

"We have a surprise for you!" Anna piped up from the back seat. "But you have to close your eyes, and no peeking!"

"Alice?"

"I'd do as she says, dear," Alice laughed. "You trust us?"

"With everything."

"Then you'll like your surprise."

"Alright, alright…" Matthew sighed (a bit dramatically for Anna's amusement) and closed his eyes. A few seconds passed and he grinned when he felt Anna's small hands cover his face as a security measure.

They didn't drive for much longer and soon he felt the car ease to a stop and heard Alice put it in park. Anna's hands slid from his face as he felt Alice press a kiss to his cheek.

"Wait here, I'll come around and help you up."

Matthew wasn't quite sure what was happening, but he was definitely amused by the lengths both of his girls were going to surprise him. Leaning on Alice's hands as she helped him out of the car, Matthew pulled her close and pressed a kiss to her head - it landed on her hair as she let out a faint hum and kissed his cheek in return. Alice's hand was warm in his as she guided him around the car, up over the curb, and a few steps forward.

"Ready, Anna?"

"Ready!"

Alice kissed his cheek again and whispered in his ear, "You can open your eyes now, dearest."

Blinking and squinting in the afternoon sun, Matthew frowned at the house his girls had brought him to… until he recognized it from the advertisement Alice showed him a few weeks ago.

"You got it," he smiled and caught Alice's nod out of the corner of his eye. "Congratulations, sweetheart."

Anna tugged on Alice's coat, "Mumma, can we show him the inside now?"

"Of course," Alice grinned and let Anna skip ahead of them - briefly letting go of his hand to unlock the front door.

"There's work to be done - repairs and such," she told him as Anna pulled him into the house. "Some landscaping out front, and the door creaks."

"Easily fixed," Matthew smiled. "What are you thinking of with the layout?"

That got him a brilliant smile in return and Alice gave him a tour - pointing out which room was which and how she wanted it set up initially; as she spoke, Matthew could see it all coming together in his mind and his heart warmed at the thought of this house turning into a home. He could almost see the stacks of books and drawings Anna would leave around the parlor, the way the front hallway would light up when the sun hit the proposed pale yellow walls during the morning, and he could almost envision a future where he and Alice spent many an afternoon on the couch (reading their respective books or paper) while Anna played on the floor with a dog.

Wrapping an arm around Alice's shoulders as she finished their tour out in the backyard (already mentally mapping out a garden for her and Anna), Matthew pressed a kiss to her temple.

"So?" she asked him softly. "What do you think?"

"It's wonderful, well it's going to be once the repairs are taken care of, but I'm so happy for you and Anna, sweetheart. There is one thing I was wondering, though."

"What?"

"Why this house? I know you had a list in your head about everything you and Anna wanted, sweetheart, but there were plenty other houses that fit your criteria better than this one and you passed on all of them."

Alice drew back and shifted from foot to foot and the familiar hotspot flared up on the inside of his mouth as she avoided his gaze.

"It's… it's silly," she finally replied.

"Try me."

She squeezed his hand with a sigh, "I… you're right there were other houses - with less work, less money to put into them - that I could have chosen for Anna and myself, but… they weren't right for us."

"What do you mean?"

"I chose this house because it was all one floor… so you'd have an easier time getting around it. The fact that it had everything else I needed was a blessing. It needs a little work, but Sergeant Hobart already helped me find a contractor to work on it while we're gone."

He looked at her in amazement - Alice chose this house, her _home_, with him in mind. For that, he had no words and pulled her in for a kiss while she continued to babble nervously about her decision behind this choice; she let out a noise of surprise in the back of her throat, but wrapped her arms around his shoulders as she leaned into the kiss.

"I love you," he muttered against her lips. "God, I love you, Alice."

She grinned and kissed him, "I love you too, Matthew. I know I kept going on about what I wanted in this house, but you can always tell me if there's something you want too… since I'm hoping you'll spend a lot of time here."

He laughed softly, "We can figure it out together… something I'm looking forward to."

Alice grinned and kissed him again, "Me too."

* * *

Matthew looked up from his crossword puzzle when the door to his bedroom opened and Alice entered with a tired smile.

"Finally down for the count?" he teased.

"It took an extra chapter of her story, but yes, Anna's finally settled in for the night."

She kicked off her shoes and walked over to the bed - shedding clothes as she went; Matthew smiled and opened his arms for her as she pulled a nightgown over her head and slipped under the covers next to him. Wrapping her arms around his waist, Alice buried her face in the crook of his neck with a sigh while he continued working on the crossword.

"Long day, sweetheart?"

"No, I'm just getting comfortable," she answered and wriggled a leg in between his, "no work for a week… is that even possible?"

He let out a quiet laugh, "I sure hope so, that's what I booked for us at the cabin. No phone calls, no cases, no Lucien waking us up at odd hours of the night to pick our brains for a break in a case."

Alice snorted - no doubt remembering the times their alone time had been cut short by their friend's enthusiasm for a case. "No interruptions… I like that idea."

Pressing a kiss to the side of her head, Matthew trailed a hand up and down her arm as he considered the next crossword clue, "Once Anna goes to bed, it'll just be us, sweetheart."

"I'll have you all to myself?" she hummed and slipped a hand between the buttons of his pajama shirt when he nodded. "I definitely like that."

"Are you never satisfied?" he teased - parroting her usual question to him - and grinned when she laughed.

"Never with you," Alice kissed his jaw.

He kissed her head again and filled in an answer on the crossword before setting the puzzle aside and shifting on the bed; tilting her chin up for a soft kiss, Matthew smiled at her content hum and wrapped his arms around her.

"Shall we start our vacation a little early?" he trailed kisses down her throat - feeling her low laughter vibrate against his lips.

"You must be able to read minds, dearest, since I was _just_ about to suggest that."

Pushing the hem of her nightgown up as Alice rolled them so she straddled his waist, Matthew grinned when she dipped down for a kiss. Not much talking passed between them after that and as Alice unbuttoned his pajama shirt, Matthew was glad they could have a bit of a lie in the next morning before driving to the seaside. Judging by the gleam in his soulmate's eyes, he'd need the extra rest.


	2. Chapter 2

_bit of a shorter chapter, but I've outlined this story to have five chapters total! enjoy our faves arriving at their cabin for the week, up next is BEACH DAYS! - Dee_

* * *

Alice looked at her watch as she climbed the stairs, they weren't running late by any means, but it was strange that Anna hadn't been at their door by first light this morning. Peering into her daughter's room, she smiled when she saw the five year old sprawled across her bed - dead to the world as the house woke around them.

She crept in and gently shook Anna's shoulder. "Anna? Anna, it's time to get up."

The little girl let out a faint grunt (that still reminded Alice of Matthew and she had to bite her lip to prevent her laughter) and burrowed deeper into her blankets.

"Anna-"

"No…"

"Time to get up," Alice smoothed Anna's blonde hair away from her face as her daughter frowned. "C'mon."

Anna sat up and rubbed at her eyes with a yawn - one that almost made Alice do the same.

"Still tired, my darling girl?" Alice kissed Anna's forehead as her daughter yawned again and nodded. "Let's get some food in you and then you can sleep in the car on the way there."

"Okay, Mumma… is today the day?"

She chuckled and kissed Anna's forehead again, "Yes, my girl, it is. Matthew and Uncle Lucien are loading up the car as we speak; we'll leave after breakfast."

Her daughter yawned again and blearily went through the motions of dressing and getting ready for the day with Alice's help. Picking her up (Goose, the familiar teddy bear firmly in Anna's grip), Alice walked downstairs to the bustling ground floor of 7 Mycroft Avenue.

Lucien ruffled Anna's freshly brushed hair as he passed them in the hallway with Matthew's suitcase in hand.

"Uncle Lucien!" the girl squealed in outrage as his laughter echoed down the hall. "Mumma, he messed up my hair!"

"I'll fix it at breakfast, okay?" Alice kissed Anna's cheek until her daughter laughed. She gently set Anna down on a chair at the kitchen table and combed through her blonde waves as Jean put a plate of eggs, bacon, and toast (already spread with jam) in front of her - and a smaller plate with the same thing, just cut up into smaller bites, in front of Anna.

"Matthew! Lucien! Charlie! Breakfast is ready!" Jean called out to the house - lucky that Anna was still too tired to remark on the fact that she was breaking her own rule of '_yelling to be heard_'.

As Alice cajoled her sleepy daughter into eating her breakfast, the boys trooped in dutifully to the kitchen while Jean finished putting their plates on the table and put the tea down for all of them. The mood was light, slightly giddy as Lucien ribbed Matthew some about no work for a week, but still quiet as not all of the house's inhabitants were fully awake.

"Can I go sleep, Mumma?" Anna asked and rubbed at her eyes again - missing the amused looks sent her way by her family.

"Finish your milk and then we can go to the car. Lorne is some distance away so you'll get a proper nap in before we get there."

Her daughter let out a deep sigh - one that had Lucien and Charlie choking back laughter as Alice narrowed her eyes at them - and finished her milk with the minimum amount of enthusiasm as she could muster.

Alice bit back her own smile - Anna really did remind her a lot of Matthew, especially in the mornings.

"Here, I've got her," Matthew whispered as he hoisted Anna up into his arms - shifting her around until he could hold her comfortably with one arm and everyone walked outside. Charlie bid his goodbyes as he got in the police car and left for work (he and Bill were sharing administrative duties at the station while Matthew was on holiday) with Lucien in tow (Alice didn't want to even think of the state her morgue would be in by the time they got back).

Jean put a hamper filled with food for lunch and dinner in the back seat, giving them plenty of things to nibble on today until they could stock the cabin with food themselves once they got there; she pressed a kiss to Anna's cheek and took the girl from Matthew's arms to settle her in alongside the hamper in the backseat (Goose tucked under her arm and a light blanket tucked around her legs) as Anna mumbled a sleepy goodbye to her favorite auntie.

Rose showed up and gave them all hugs - a soft kiss to Anna's cheek as the girl slept on - and answering Alice's questions about the camera as Matthew ducked back inside for the last bit of luggage from the house; she stood by Jean's side as they got in the car - Alice caught sight of their joyful waving in the rearview mirror as she pulled out of the drive and navigated the streets of Ballarat.

"You're sure you're fine with driving first, sweetheart?"

Alice nodded and patted his thigh as she kept her eyes on the road, "Rest, dearest, I'll let you know when we stopped for lunch and then you can take over from there if your leg is up for it."

"I'm not super tired just yet," he brought her hand up and kissed her knuckles, "I'll keep you company for a bit."

"I'd like that," she smiled when he kissed her knuckles again. "I'm glad we're getting a break and that Anna can come with us."

"Me too," he settled back in the seat with a sigh, "she's gonna love it and I foresee many another trip in the future."

"We'll take her wherever she wants to go - within reason, of course," Alice clarified when she caught Matthew's raised eyebrows.

"Of course."

"She's not going to be spoiled."

"I know she's not, you're doing wonders with her, sweetheart. Anna's opened up so much since you came into contact with her - she's going to have so many opportunities growing up, way more than you or I did… she's your very lucky girl."

"She's _our_ lucky girl."

He grinned, "Our girl."

"Yes, ours."

"I like the sound of that," Matthew leaned over and kissed her cheek.

She leaned into the kiss and patted his thigh while she drove. Time passed in relative silence; sometimes they talked - telling odd stories of their childhoods or sharing observations as the car rolled along the road - and sometimes Alice looked over to see Matthew dozing beside her and she smiled. As she pulled into a small town on their way to Lorne, Alice checked her watch and figured it was as good a time as any for them to stop and have lunch - give all of them a chance to stretch their legs.

"Are we here already?" Matthew grumbled when she shook him awake.

"It's time for lunch, I'll let you go figure out where the bathroom is while I wake Anna; I saw a park not far from here so we could have a picnic."

"Sounds like a plan, sweetheart," Matthew gave her a soft kiss before he exited the car with a groan.

She felt her knee twinge as he stretched his right leg a bit before he set off for a small diner not that far away; opening the back door, Alice smiled at the sight of Anna still curled up asleep on the seat with Goose firmly in her arms and sucking on her thumb. She loathed to wake her little girl, but knew Anna would turn grumpy if she didn't eat - nor would she sleep that night if Alice let her continue to rest.

"Wake up, sleepyhead," Alice leaned down and kissed Anna's forehead as she smoothed her hair back. Her daughter yawned and looked up blearily at her, the thumb slipping out of her mouth.

"Hungry?" Alice asked and smiled when Anna nodded. "Up you get then, my girl, we're going to have a picnic."

Anna's eyes almost instantly cleared and her mother had to bite back a laugh at the sudden enthusiasm coming from the girl in front of her; with Anna's help, Alice lifted the basket from the back seat next to her and they walked hand in hand over to the park.

"Where's Matthew?"

"Finding us a bathroom," Alice answered as she spread out a blanket on the grass and Anna helped her smooth it out before they settled on it and pulled out the food for lunch.

Jean had prepared them quite the spread: cold-cut sandwiches, slices of fruit and various vegetables (including Anna's favorite cherry tomatoes), a container of Alice's favorite shortbread, and enough water for a few days.

And that was just the lunch.

"This looks cozy," Matthew smiled as he sat down next to Alice. "Jean overfeeding us as usual?"

"I honestly don't know where she gets the time," Alice laughed. "Sandwich?"

"Please."

They ate lunch - enjoying the bountiful feast Jean had prepared for them - in the dappled sunlight of the park. A few people were around, out doing their normal day-to-day routines, and they exchanged smiles whenever someone came near. It was nice, Alice mused, to not be known. She wondered how many people assumed she and Matthew were married and that Anna was their child by blood; Anna _did_ look a lot like Matthew, and there had been moments in the quiet mornings when Alice daydreamed of a ring on her finger and her daughter calling Matthew "Dad" instead of his name. Matthew himself had let it slip one night - weeks before Anna came into her life - about marrying her in the future, Alice was just unsure of when that would happen.

Did she want to marry Matthew? Would their marriage work? They were soulmates, that bond would never go away. But Alice enjoyed what they had now, and she wasn't sure if she wanted it to change. Watching Matthew interact with Anna, however, she knew he'd be the best father her daughter could ever have, and if they married he could legally adopt her and provide for her in the event that something happened to Alice.

Letting out a faint sigh - too faint for either of her loved ones to hear as they talked about pirates and the sea - Alice bit into an apple and chewed over the choices in front of her. There was still so much to think about, and maybe Matthew would take that first step towards marriage between them, or maybe they'd remain forever bonded without marrying in the eyes of the State.

Or maybe, just maybe, Alice smiled as she watched Anna squeal in laughter as Matthew playfully pulled her in for tickles, maybe _Alice_ would be the one to take that step. After all, she was never one to bow to societal conventions… and it'd be fun to see Matthew caught off guard.

* * *

He heard Alice sit up as he pulled up to the cabin; she and Anna had dozed off the last half hour of their trip and Matthew had to smile as they both rubbed at their eyes in tandem.

"Home, sweet, home."

"Oh, Matthew, this is wonderful," Alice gushed as she stepped out of the car to get a better look. "You're spoiling us."

"You both deserve it," he kissed her and helped Anna down from the back seat. "Come on, Anna, let's get our stuff inside and unpack."

"Then we'll go to the beach?"

He laughed, "Maybe, but we've got to go get food for the week, remember?"

"So, shopping and then beach."

"Maybe I should have let her plan the trip, sweetheart," Matthew teased and Alice rolled her eyes with a fond smile.

It didn't take long for them to unpack the car, he took care of Jean's food in the kitchen while Alice and Anna unpacked their suitcases (Alice was more particular about their clothes than he was so he let her handle it), and their beach things stayed close to the door. The wagon, a red metal bed with taller wooden sides, waited by the car for them to use in getting groceries since everything was within walking distance. They _could_ use the car, but all of them had been in it for most of the day and the best way to get Anna to burn off some of her energy was exercise.

"Ready, Matthew?" Alice asked - Anna holding tight to her hand as they both stood in the doorway.

"Ready, and I've got the list of things for us to get."

"Marvelous," she pressed a kiss to his cheek before they trooped outdoors.

Anna gleefully pulled the wagon behind her - still careful not to run over anyone's toes even in her excitement at visiting some place new; Alice linked her arm with Matthew's and he smiled at her ease of showing affection - it was easier to be anonymous here amongst the tourists and the locals. No one knew them here, no one would whisper about them behind their backs; for all the world knew, the three of them were a happily married couple with their daughter on vacation and Matthew would soak up as much of Alice's ease as he could before they returned home. He loved her and he loved Anna, but he knew people could be cruel. It's why he chose Lorne out of all the places they could have gone on holiday; Lorne was far enough away that neither of them had a high chance of bumping into anyone they knew like they would in somewhere closer like Queenscliff or Geelong.

As they collected their groceries for the week - throwing in a small pail and spade for Anna to use on the beach when both he and Alice had caught her eyeing it - the sun slowly started to set and Anna's energy levels dropped. By the time everything was crossed off their list, Alice had hoisted the girl up in her arms and Matthew pulled the full wagon behind him as they leisurely walked back to the cabin.

Watching Alice help Anna put away their food, Matthew smiled as he started on reheating the dinner Jean prepared for them. This week would give them all a taste of what their future would hold when Alice's house was done being renovated and repaired and his girls were properly moved in; he'd already seen what it was like to live with Alice when they had that week in Melbourne together, and now he'd see what it was like with little Miss Anna in the mix.

Between the sun, the sand, the surf, and the frequent laughter that Anna brought wherever she went, Matthew was definitely looking forward to this week.


	3. Chapter 3

Alice jolted awake when a very excited five year old jumped up on the bed, shaking both of them so they would get up.

"Anna…" she groaned and pulled the covers up over her head - making out Matthew's rough chuckle as Anna threw herself on top of Alice.

"Mumma…" Anna sighed and tried to pull the blankets out of Alice's hands. "Mumma, it's time for the beach!"

"Time for sleep."

"Beach."

"_Sleep_, it's barely five in the morning."

Anna slumped against her, making Alice grunt as her daughter wriggled around on the bed to get comfortable (under the blankets right in between her and Matthew, who was all too amused by this).

"How are we going to get Mumma up?" she heard Anna whisper - loudly - to Matthew.

"I have an idea, Miss Anna."

"Whatever you're thinking of, Matthew," Alice threatened through the blanket, "don't even think about it."

"How do you know what I'm thinking of, sweetheart?"

Alice pulled the covers down far enough to send him a bleary glare as he grinned.

"How are we going to get Mumma up?" Anna repeated her question.

"Come here," he coaxed her daughter to lay down, "we're going to _pretend_ to sleep, Miss Anna, just until Mumma is up."

"But that could take forever!"

"Ah-ah!" he held up a finger, "Mumma will get so tired of us faking sleep that she'll _have _to get up."

Alice bit back a laugh when Anna crossed her arms and narrowed her eyes at him - looking all too much like her Auntie Jean.

"Will that really work?"

He shrugged, "Won't know until we try it."

Anna stared at him for a bit longer and then nodded before she wiggled her way into Alice's arms and 'slept' until her breathing evened out and the small girl actually fell asleep.

"That should buy us a few more hours," Matthew whispered.

Alice smiled and smoothed back Anna's hair from her face; she reached over and tugged on Matthew's pajama top to get his attention, when he looked up, she crooked a finger at him until he was close enough to kiss.

"I think I could marry you right now," she murmured against his lips - her usual filters gone in the early hours.

She felt him grin, "Is that all it took? I should have done that months ago."

"I can just as easily refuse," Alice poked him in the chest as she teased him.

"Message received," he kissed her. "Get some sleep now that's she's out."

"I should have known she'd be up before dawn."

"She's excited, it's natural," Matthew smiled and kissed her again. "Now, let's sleep and then I'll wake you both up for pancakes before we head out."

"'Kay," Alice yawned and Anna burrowed deeper into her arms. She felt Matthew press a kiss to her forehead before she drifted back to sleep - dreaming of pancakes, sea waves, and Anna's laughter.

* * *

Matthew woke first a couple of hours later, and true to his word, he made pancakes for all of them - both of his girls trooping into the kitchen with matching yawns and rumpled appearances when the smell made it to the bedroom.

"Morning," he whispered and pressed a kiss to Alice's cheek when she yawned again.

"G'morning," she smiled when Anna pulled on Matthew's pajama top (he bowed and kissed her forehead - granting her unasked request). "Pancakes?"

"Yeah, just needs some fruit if my favorite sous chef is up for it."

A kiss was his answer and Alice pulled up a chair for Anna to stand on and help them both in the kitchen; he let Anna choose how many chocolate chips to put into the batter for the next batch of pancakes (which might have been a mistake with any other child that wasn't being raised by Alice Harvey and Jean Blake, but Anna was frugal in her amount of chocolate) as Alice sliced up a few strawberries and bananas to top their breakfast.

"Milk, Anna?"

"Yes, Mumma."

"Think you can handle two pancakes this morning?"

Anna nodded as Matthew gently guided her through pouring out some of the batter onto the hot skillet.

"Can you cut it up like Auntie Jean does?"

"Of course," Alice kissed Anna's head.

"If you'll put the kettle on, sweetheart, I think we're almost done here."

Alice kissed his cheek and set about making tea for the two of them; he and Anna finished pouring the pancake batter - Matthew teaching her how to flip the pancakes properly with a spatula while Alice set the table behind them.

"Which pancakes would you like, Miss Anna, with chocolate chips or without?"

"One of each?"

"Perfect," he smiled and put two of their smaller pancakes onto a plate; he handed it off to Alice, who cut them into smaller pieces before letting Anna pick her fruit toppings.

"Chocolate chips or no chocolate chips, Alice?"

Matthew's smile widened when he heard Alice hum as she considered her options and stole her arms around his waist from behind.

"I usually would say no to chocolate chips, but we're on holiday."

"So, throw convention out the window even more than usual?"

She giggled and kissed the back of his shoulder, "Yes. Chocolate chips, please, and then you come and eat too, we've got a full day today."

"_Beach!_" came Anna's exclamation from the table and sent both of them into a fit of laughter; they finished assembling their breakfasts and settled down with Anna - who peppered them with questions about the beach and what they'd do until Alice quietly reminded her that no beach excursions would happen if her food went untouched.

Alice and Anna cleaned up since he cooked, and Matthew quickly dressed before he made sure they had all they needed for the beach (towels, a blanket, his deck chair - newly purchased for the trip, and the spade and pail they got last night). Once his girls were done cleaning, they went to dress for the day - Matthew grinned when he heard Anna ask questions about how sunscreen worked and why she had to wear it - and he started on making their lunches to pack in the hamper Jean lent them for the week.

He heard them come up behind him as he finished and smiled when Alice kissed his cheek.

"I was expecting to see you in bathers," she teased, "not linen pants."

"Maybe tomorrow," Matthew leaned into her kiss.

"Worried about your leg and people's reactions?" Alice wrapped her arms around his shoulders as he slipped an arm around her waist; he leaned back slightly to take in her light blue sundress with an appreciative smile.

"Yeah, I'm a little worried about the leg, but I like your dress."

She grinned and gave him a light kiss, "Thank you."

"Can I get a peek of the bathers?"

That got him a laugh and a pat to his cheek, "Patience, dearest, patience."

"You don't play fair," he pulled her close for a kiss - trapping her between him and the counter as he kissed her until Alice laughed and pushed on his chest.

"Anna is not going to wait for much longer, dearest, we should go."

He kissed her one more time and they finished loading up the wagon before setting off for the beach. It was still early enough that they managed to find a pretty decent spot to spread out their light blanket - Matthew went to borrow an umbrella for the day while Alice wrestled with her daughter's hair so it'd be out of the girl's way.

"Mumma, please!"

"One more second, my darling girl," Alice laughed as she helped Matthew set up the umbrella and his chair before she helped Anna out of her dress. "Let me get out of mine and then we'll go to the water."

He couldn't help but gawk a bit when Alice lifted her sundress and revealed her dark blue bathing suit, outside of their bedroom he'd never seen her show this much skin. The dark hue of her suit contrasted lovely with her freckled skin, and he dragged his gaze down her legs - smiling fondly at the somewhat faded red scar around her right knee (maybe tomorrow he'd be confident enough to show his).

"You're staring," she smiled as she folded her dress and Anna's.

"You're beautiful, how can I not stare?"

"Charmer," Alice leaned down for a brief kiss before Anna pulled her away. "We'll be back!"

"Have fun!" Matthew called after them with a grin as Alice laughed and waved while she stumbled after her daughter towards the water. Unfolding the newspaper they'd picked up on the way, he periodically looked up to check on them and each time he had to smile at Anna's abundant joy as she and Alice splashed around in the water.

* * *

"It's so big, Mumma," Anna looked out to the horizon, her arms tight around her mother's neck as Alice carried her further into the water.

"It is," Alice nodded and stopped about waist deep. "Most of the Earth is covered in oceans."

"Really?"

"Mm-hm, it is."

"What's this one?"

"The Pacific Ocean. To the west we have the Indian Ocean, the Atlantic is in between Africa and South America, way up north is the Arctic Ocean, and further south of us is the Southern Ocean."

"That's so many!"

Alice chuckled and kissed Anna's forehead, "It is, isn't it? We can look at a map later, but are you having fun so far?"

Her daughter nodded and splashed in the water around them - giggling whenever she got Alice wet in the process; Alice took them deeper, gently coaxing Anna to kick her legs in the water and learn to float as other beachgoers played and swam around them.

After awhile, Anna's energy started to fade and Alice looked up to see the sun high in the sky. Turning back to the shore, she smiled when she saw Matthew stretched out in his chair - no doubt filling out the local newspaper's crossword puzzle - in the shade of their rented umbrella.

"How about some lunch, Anna? We can work on making a sand castle after that, or you can take a nap if you'd like."

"Not tired," her daughter protested (even as she tried to hide a yawn).

"Certain of that, are we?" Alice kissed Anna's forehead as she walked back towards Matthew. "I think you should have a nap after lunch, Anna."

"Nuh-uh, not tired."

Hiding a smile in her daughter's hair, Alice carried her back up the beach and set her down in front of Matthew, who was waiting with towels for both of them. He wrapped Anna up in one and pulled the girl up on his good knee as Alice dried off and settled down on the blanket.

"Lunch, dearest?" Alice asked as she pulled the hamper close.

"That'd be wonderful, sweetheart," he grinned while he unbraided Anna's hair and dried it with the towel as the girl giggled. "One braid or two, Miss Anna?"

"Two!"

Alice watched - hiding her fond smile with a hand - as Matthew brushed out her daughter's hair and separated it into two braids over her shoulders. "Your hair's getting long, Anna."

"It is," Matthew agreed as he tied off the ends with ribbons.

"Do I have to cut it, Mumma?" Anna asked around her sandwich (peanut butter and banana).

"Not unless you want to."

"Did you have long hair?"

Alice nodded, "For a long time, but short hair is a little easier for me."

"Matthew, did _you_ have long hair?"

His eyebrows rose as he took the offered sandwich from Alice (roast beef with sliced tomato and pickle - hers was the same); Alice grinned as he floundered for an answer for Anna.

"Ah… no, I don't think I did," he finally answered. "I could have had long hair when I was really young, but I don't remember."

"I don't think I want short hair."

"Then you don't have to have it," Matthew smoothed a hand over her braids and smiled when Anna leaned back against him while they ate their sandwiches and chatted over lunch.

Anna relaxed further back into Matthew after she finished her sandwich and nibbled on some cherry tomatoes as he worked on the crossword puzzle - occasionally helping her sound out words and telling her the definitions as he filled it in; Alice pulled out a book and relaxed on the blanket with the sound of the surf in the background.

Matthew's voice drifted off after a bit and when he hadn't said anything in awhile, Alice looked up and stifled a laugh when she saw both Matthew and Anna conked out together on the deck chair; Anna curled up in his lap, still wrapped in her towel, as Matthew snored softly - his crossword puzzle dropped at his feet, the pencil dangling dangerously from his hand.

Silently putting aside her book, Alice slowly pulled out the camera from the hamper and snapped a few photos before the sound of the shutter (and her poorly muffled giggles) woke Matthew.

"Enjoying the camera, sweetheart?" He grumbled and rubbed at his eyes without disturbing Anna on his lap.

"Very much," she leaned up and kissed his cheek. "Enjoy your nap?"

"Yeah, it's very easy to nap here."

"I thought that was the point of our holiday?"

"It is," he pulled her in for a short kiss as Anna stirred in his lap. "We're here to rest, relax, and have fun."

"Good."

While Alice picked up the abandoned crossword puzzle and rescued the pencil from its precarious position, Anna yawned and opened her eyes - blinking and squinting as she slowly woke up.

"Hey there, sleepyhead," Matthew kissed the top of her head, "have a good nap?"

The girl nodded and rubbed at her eyes, "Thirsty."

Alice dug into the hamper and pulled out a smaller bottle of juice and poured a cup for Anna to have; she drank two cups - much more alert by the end of the second one when she'd fully woken up.

"What do you want to do this afternoon, Anna?"

"Can we make a castle?"

"Yeah, we can do that."

"Can Matthew help?"

"I've never made a sandcastle, so I think we'd better make sure he helps us," Alice sent Matthew a grin over Anna's head as he chuckled.

"You lived in Sydney and Melbourne and never made one?"

"Too busy," Alice shrugged. "Though, occasionally going to the shore when school got too stressful was very nice."

"Matthew, will you help?" Anna asked.

"Of course! Do you want to make it first and then go find decorations, or hunt for decorations first?"

"Decorations first!"

Setting Anna on her feet, Matthew stood with a groan and grabbed his cane; Alice folded Anna's towel as her daughter grabbed the pail from the wagon and joined hands with Matthew.

"Going to join us, sweetheart?"

"I'll hold down the fort, but I'll help with making the sandcastle when you two are back."

He leaned down for a kiss when she sat in the chair he vacated (his crossword puzzle in her hands), and she smiled when Matthew and Anna walked down along the beach - occasionally stopping to pick up whatever shell or bit of driftwood caught Anna's attention. It didn't take long for them to fill the pail up with enough shells and decorations, and by the time they came back, Alice had finished the crossword puzzle.

Anna ran back into her arms - a beaming grin on her face as she eagerly showed her mother all the shells, bits, and bobs they found; her daughter peppered her and Matthew with questions about the decorations and the sandcastle as all three of them labored in the sand not far from their blanket - Matthew stretched his right leg out as he helped Anna slowly build a sandcastle, the legs of his linen pants rolled up to just below the knee. He was still worried about showing it, Alice knew; he worried about the looks he'd get, the questions people asked - Alice herself had gotten some looks so far and she just bore the mark, not everything else that came with Matthew's injuries. But for the first time since he'd returned to Ballarat, Matthew looked truly at ease as he guided Anna through the third tower of their sandcastle (Alice was in charge of sorting the decorations for later) and Alice had to smile.

Maybe this beach trip was just what all three of them needed.

* * *

The next few days passed in much the same way as the first: pancakes in the morning (sometimes with eggs and bacon, sometimes without), frolicking in the water in the morning (Matthew joined them after the first morning, and Alice liked him in his bathers very much), lunch on their blanket with a few of them taking a nap or reading during the hottest part of the day, and then exploring the beach or playing in the water again until they went back to the cottage for dinner. One day, they took a detour to the tidal pools, and Anna delighted in seeing all the different creatures and ecosystems. Over the course of the week, she made leaps and bounds in learning how to swim (Alice taught her to float, Matthew helped her learn how to swim with Alice close by to give them both balance), and Alice knew her girl would want to continue to swim once she'd gotten a taste for it.

The camera got plenty of use during their trip too; Matthew snapped a few of his girls playing in the water and the various sandcastles they built through the week, his favorite was one from the tidal pools when a crab got a hold of Alice's fingers with its pincers and she pulled a comical face for Anna's benefit as the girl covered her mouth with her hands. Alice got some more of Matthew and Anna napping, and a few of them cooking at the stove (in matching aprons Alice made before their trip). They let Anna learn how to take photos - Matthew wasn't sure how they'd turn out, but Anna had so much fun in the process, he was sure that they'd enjoy the photos no matter what they looked like.

He looked up from his book and smiled at the two of them playing in the waves - splashing each other and Alice occasionally scooping the girl up into her arms and dipping her in the water. Her high-pitched squeals of laughter could be heard all the way up to their blanket and Matthew had to chuckle when Alice did it again just to hear Anna's laughter.

"She looks a lot like you," someone to his left remarked.

Matthew looked over to see another man (setting up a blanket of his own with his small family) and raised his eyebrows, "Pardon?"

"Your daughter," the man nodded to Alice and Anna as his girls walked out of the ocean. "She looks like you, you and your wife must be proud."

He was saved from answering by the subject of the man's observations.

"Daddy!" Anna called out with a grin.

A warmth in his chest - not unlike the feeling he had after Alice revealed to him that they were soulmates - blossomed as he hurriedly put aside his book and readied Anna's towel as the girl barreled into him in a fit of giggles. As she babbled on about what she and Alice got up to, Matthew couldn't stop thinking about that one word - the one word he'd hoped Anna would call him one day.

Alice joined them - slightly out of breath - and smiled when he handed over another towel. "Anna, you're wearing me out."

"Mumma, never!"

He laughed and dried off Anna as she wriggled around, "I know the feeling, Alice."

"Who's your friend?"

The man - who'd been watching this with a smile - stepped forward and offered a hand, "Curtis Andrews, I was just remarking to your husband about how much your daughter looks like him."

Alice's cheeks flushed slightly (and Matthew felt his own warm) as they exchanged glances; she shook Curtis' hand with a smile, "I'm Alice, and this is Anna."

"Matthew Lawson," Matthew offered his hand to Curtis as two young children came up to the man.

"Dad, you said we could play when we were done setting up."

Curtis smiled down at his children, "Alright, alright, Fern, I did promise that. It was nice meeting you all, hopefully we'll see more of each other."

He ran off with his two children, leaving all three of them in a bit of a lurch as they settled down for lunch like they always did.

"Daddy?" Anna whispered to Matthew as Alice pulled out their sandwiches.

The warmth in his chest swelled up again and he hoped it'd never go away.

"Yeah, sweetheart?"

"Why did he say you were Mumma's husband? You aren't married like Uncle Lucien and Auntie Jean."

"Sometimes people assume, do you know what assume means?" When Anna shook her head, he smiled, "It's when you make up a decision about someone or something without knowing all the facts. Like people assume your mum is not nice just because she's quiet."

"Or that you're grumpy all the time?"

"Exactly. In Ballarat, everyone knows that me and your mum aren't married, but that we're together. Here, no one knows us and so they assume your mum and I are married and that you're our natural born kid."

"Natural born?"

"Blood-related, like Auntie Jean and her boys are."

"Oh," the girl nodded and leaned back against him when he passed over her sandwich; she was deep in thought for the rest of lunch and Matthew hoped he hadn't overwhelmed her when answering her questions by the time she slipped into her usual afternoon nap in his arms.

"It's nice to make some friends out here," Alice observed as she sat down next to his chair.

"It is."

"Nice not to be thought of as strange."

Matthew smiled and brought Alice's hand up for a kiss as they watched the water and waited for Anna to wake up for more fun.


	4. Chapter 4

There weren't many restaurants that catered to a family night out, but going off suggestions from some of the locals in Lorne, Matthew found a small, family-owned Italian restaurant that didn't mind children tagging along and made reservations for the night before his birthday.

He watched with a smile in the mirror as Alice fought an ongoing battle of getting Anna to sit still when doing her hair.

"Anna," Alice sighed as the girl squirmed, "please sit still."

"But I don't _want_ my hair done."

"Anna Marie, if you don't sit still, you might not _have_ hair left to be done."

"Why?"

"Because you'll pull it all out at this rate."

He coughed to cover his laugh as he tied his tie - catching sight of Alice's narrowed eyes in the mirror as she quickly brushed Anna's hair once more and pulled half of the blonde waves back from the girl's face before securing it with a dark purple ribbon that matched her daughter's dress.

"There," Alice smiled and kissed Anna's forehead when the girl tilted her head back, "wasn't so hard, was it?"

"No, Mumma."

"Good, go see Matthew while I put on my make up and then we'll go for dinner."

Anna did as she was told, wrapping her arms around Matthew's good leg as he smiled down at her while finishing up the knot of his tie.

"Up, please?" she asked.

Matthew lifted her with an exaggerated groan just to hear her giggle, "My, what a pretty dress you have on, Anna."

"Thank you, Mumma made it, but I got to pick the color."

The dark purple satiny fabric shone brightly in the light of their rented cottage and Matthew swayed in a mimicry of actual dancing - humming a random tune as Anna giggled and tightened her arms around his neck.

"Mumma, look! Me and Daddy are dancing!"

"Daddy and I," Alice corrected gently while she walked up to them with a fond smile and kissed Anna's cheek, "He's a very good dancer, isn't he?"

"The best!"

He kissed Anna's forehead and set her back down on her feet with a grunt, "I think you might be getting too big for that, Anna, or I'm getting too old."

"Nuh-uh," the girl shook her head - much to the amusement of Alice and Matthew - and headed for the front door. "Are we going to dinner now?"

"Yes we are, can you wait on the couch for a second, my girl?"

"Yes, Mumma!"

Alice sidled up to him and wrapped her arms around his shoulders as he rested his forehead against hers; she nuzzled his nose until he smiled and gave her a soft kiss.

"So…" she whispered. "Anna's calling you dad."

"She is… is that okay?"

"Dearest, there's nothing I want more," Alice cradled his face in her hands and kissed him. "You're as good as her father anyways, it's probably wise to let her call you her dad."

He felt his cheeks warm as Alice kissed him again, "I'm… I'm just…"

"Elated? Overwhelmed? Ecstatic? Or all of the above?"

Matthew chuckled at her teasing tone, "All of the above."

"Good," Alice kissed him one last time. "Let's go to dinner, dearest, with _our_ daughter."

* * *

Anna didn't want to settle down once they'd come back from dinner - her belly full with pasta and bread; she wanted to stay up and dance with Matthew again and have him read to her before bed.

"One song," Matthew looked down at her (he couldn't say no to those blue eyes of hers, and Anna definitely knew that).

"Please?"

"Alice, you okay with that?"

Alice turned from the counter where she'd been opening a bottle of wine and smiled at the pleading look on Anna's face, "One song, Anna, and then it's bedtime."

"Can he read to me too?"

"Of course."

The girl grinned and bounced excitedly up and down as Matthew fiddled with the wireless until he found a song slow enough for him. She pulled on his hands until they stood in the center of the parlor and settled into a shuffling sway from a combination of his leg and Anna's inexperience; Anna giggled when he occasionally twirled her around during their dance.

The song finished and Alice was nowhere in sight, so when Anna still wanted to dance, Matthew picked her up and held her close.

"It's almost time for you to go to bed, sweetheart."

"One more dance?"

"If we do one more dance, then we'll have less time for reading."

Anna sighed in his ear and Matthew had to grin.

"How about this, we dance _as_ we go to your room and that's your second dance for the night?"

"So we get both?"

"Exactly."

"Okay."

Alice came out of their bedroom right as he and Anna swayed towards the second bedroom - Matthew playfully exaggerating his sway (as best he could with a cane) as he approached, smiling when Anna giggled.

"Having fun?" Alice asked

"Yes, Mumma!"

"Ready for your pajamas?"

Anna nodded and reached for her mother - who wordlessly lifted her out of Matthew's hold.

Matthew leaned over and kissed the side of Anna's head as she giggled again. "I'll go fetch our book, we left it in our bedroom yesterday; be good for your mum, Anna."

"Okay," Anna nodded - her eyes already starting to droop as Alice carried her into the second bedroom to change and brush her teeth before Matthew read her another chapter of their story.

By the time he came back to the room, Anna was climbing into her bed - Goose tucked firmly under her arm as her mother tucked her in and pressed a kiss to her forehead.

"Don't keep her up too late, dearest," Alice whispered as she kissed him softly. "I'll be in the parlor when you're done."

"Have our own little dance, mm?"

She just smiled and kissed him again before she left them to their story; Anna watched him with rapt attention as he delved back into the fantastical world of _The Hobbit_ and whether or not Bilbo's adventure would turn out fine in the end. By the end of the chapter, she was yawning and struggling to stay awake. As he closed the book and placed it on the nightstand, Anna tugged on his sleeve.

"Yes?"

"Are you my daddy?"

His eyebrows rose and he sat back down on the bed - ready for a lengthy conversation with the girl in front of him (he never knew how many questions she'd have, so it was best to prepare for a long time).

"Do you want me to be?" Matthew asked her softly.

Anna nodded and watched him with her big blue eyes.

"Then…" he chewed on his inner lip, "then, I suppose I am your dad."

"Do you want me to be your daughter?"

"More than anything, sweetheart."

A brilliant smile crossed Anna's face - the big gap of where her front teeth used to be peeking out between her lips as she let out a small giggle; Matthew returned her smile as he tucked a bit of her hair behind her ear.

"You're my new daddy, and I'm your daughter."

"Yep," he nodded.

"Do I get a new name?"

"Name?"

"Do I get called Anna Lawson now?"

He chewed on his inner lip again, "Well… that would only happen if your mum and I married, and then I legally adopted you alongside your mum."

"Why aren't you and Mumma married?"

"I haven't asked her to marry me yet, and we don't mind taking our time."

"Aren't you supposed to be married if you're a mummy and daddy?"

He shrugged, "I guess so, but we're bonded so most people don't really mind."

"Are you gonna get married?"

"I hope so," Matthew smiled.

"Me too," she giggled. "But you're my daddy now."

"Mm-hm, and you're my daughter, so as your dad, I say it's bedtime."

She let out a sigh that reminded him so much of Alice that he had to grin, but Anna settled further into her pillow as he pulled the covers over her. Whispering a goodnight as he kissed her cheek, Matthew stood and quietly walked out of the bedroom - clicking off the lights as he went.

Alice handed him a glass of wine as he settled on the couch next to her; the wireless played quietly in the background as the two of them sat and drank and enjoyed each other's presence - Alice's head ending up on his shoulder, and he ran a hand up and down her stockinged legs thrown over his lap.

"Have a good day today?" she asked him softly.

"Yeah," Matthew nodded with a smile, "a good day and evening before my birthday makes me think my birthday will be enjoyable this year."

Alice hummed and leaned further against him as the wine in their glasses disappeared; he trailed his fingers up and down her shins as another slow song started on the radio.

"Now there's an idea." Matthew grinned as her eyes widened when he sat up and put their glasses to the side before he offered his hand. "Care for a dance, Dr. Harvey?"

"Don't mind if I do, Superintendent Lawson."

Alice's grin matched his own as he pulled her to her feet and into his arms; she slid an arm around his shoulders - her right hand palm to palm with his left and their fingers wove together as he tightened his arm around her waist. They swayed in the dimly lit parlor, slowly turning in the same spot as Matthew pressed a kiss to Alice's forehead.

"This dress is new," he commented - his hand smoothing over the dark emerald green fabric.

"Thank you," Alice pressed a kiss to his cheek, "I made it when I made Anna's… I couldn't pass up on the color."

"You look gorgeous in green, sweetheart."

"Charmer," she giggled and kissed him softly.

Matthew pulled her close and kissed her again - Alice's hands trailing up to cup his face as she hummed into the kiss. Their swaying slowed to a stop as their kisses grew more heated and when Matthew's hands started to wander, Alice drew back with a quiet laugh.

"Shh," she put a finger over his lips when he opened his mouth to speak, "little ears might be listening."

"She's asleep," Matthew whispered to match her volume.

"I know my daughter, dearest, if she hears the slightest interesting noise, she'll come investigating."

With a soft laugh, Matthew kissed Alice's finger, "Too much like her Uncle Lucien. What's your suggestion, then, sweetheart?"

Alice removed her finger from his mouth and crooked it at him so he followed her from the parlor towards their bedroom.

Trapping her by the door, Matthew leaned in and trailed light kisses up her neck to her mouth, "I like this suggestion."

She hummed into his kiss as she wound her arms around his neck; he smoothed his hands up her sides, his fingers gripping her waist when she nipped at his lower lip. Quietly, Alice opened the bedroom door and pulled him inside - a grin spreading across her face when Matthew saw the various burning candles around the room and the turned down bed.

"What's all this?"

"A treat… for you."

"For me?"

"It's your birthday tomorrow… but I thought we'd celebrate a little early together."

He leaned in and kissed her - his arms wrapping around her waist as she grinned against his lips. Picking up from where they left off in the parlor, Matthew slid his hands over the fabric of her dress.

"I take it you like the dress."

"Very much, though it is… slightly distracting," he kissed along her jaw.

Alice chuckled and tilted her head to the side for better access, "How so?"

"It's very form-fitting, and I had a hard time concentrating at dinner with your collarbones on display."

"My _collarbones_?" This time she actually laughed and he grinned into the crook of her neck as he trailed kisses to the hollow of her throat and nibbled on said collarbones.

Alice gasped and leaned into him, "Wait, I see your point."

"Like I said," Matthew smiled against her lips, "very distracting."

He felt her laugh more than he heard it; she drew back and pulled on his hands as she backed up towards the bed. "_You're_ being very distracting, I have plans for you."

"More than the candles and turned down bed?"

"_Matthew_," Alice gasped in disbelief as he chuckled, "I might not be good at romantic things, but give me more credit than that."

He pulled her back in for a kiss, "I love you and whatever you think up in that beautiful brain of yours, sweetheart."

She smiled against his lips as her hands grasped his suit lapels, "Let me help you relax further, then."

Alice slowly stripped him of his clothes - softly kissing him with each piece that fell to the floor; Matthew leaned against her and drew idle designs on her hips through the fabric of her dress. ("_Do I get to return the favor?" he asked with a grin. Alice just tapped the end of his nose with her finger, "If you behave, dearest_.") When he was down to his shorts, Alice stepped into the circle of his arms and kissed him; he clung to her - smiling at her contented sigh as he slid his hands up her back to caress the soft skin above the top of her dress.

"Have I behaved?" Matthew whispered.

"You have," she nodded with a giggle when he nuzzled his nose with hers. "Could you help me with my dress?"

"I thought you'd never ask."

* * *

Alice turned away from Matthew - a blush creeping up on her cheeks as she felt his fingers slowly trace along the top of her dress.

His lips joined his fingers, "You got some sun this week, sweetheart."

"Oh?"

"Mm-hm, there are new freckles for me to learn."

Alice giggled as he kissed his way up her neck while he unzipped her dress; letting the dress fall to the floor, she smiled at his huff at the sight of her slip. Turning back around in his arms, Alice kissed him.

"Is there more under the slip?"

She shook her head fondly at his sly grin and kissed him again, "Why don't you sit on the bed and finish unwrapping your gift?"

Doing as she suggested, Matthew pulled her close by her hips and smoothed his hands down her legs, making Alice shiver as he traced swirling designs on her thighs through her dark stockings. Running her fingers through his hair, Alice smiled when he leaned up for a kiss. Matthew's hands trailed up her legs, pushing her slip up in the process and she felt him laugh quietly when he reached the top of her stockings.

"Is that a bow?"

"See for yourself," Alice teased.

Her giggles returned when he eagerly pushed the slip further up and saw the bright red wide ribbon Alice tied around her left upper thigh; when Matthew continued pushing the slip up, Alice bit her lip when he looked up at her and kissed the sliver of skin visible between her knickers and her garter belt.

"Do you like it?"

Matthew traced along the edge of her lace knickers (in the same bright red as the ribbon) with his fingers, a smile spreading across his face at her gasp; his eyes darkened with every shiver that passed through her body at his light touch. Alice pulled the slip over her head so he could see the matching bra and muffled a laugh when Matthew pulled her onto his lap with a grin.

"I said you look gorgeous in green, sweetheart, and you do, but I think I prefer you in red."

"I'm glad you like it."

Matthew kissed her hard and fell back on the bed - starling a laugh out of her as he rolled them and kissed her again.

"I do like it, sweetheart, and I think I'll show you just how much."

Alice could barely get out a warning about leaving marks ("_Don't worry, they'll be hidden by your bathing suit." "I'm more concerned with them showing up on __**you**__."_) before Matthew's mouth and hands got busy unwrapping his birthday present. As she sighed into his next kiss, all Alice could think of was gratitude for stumbling across that lingerie shop in Melbourne weeks ago.

* * *

Matthew settled back on the pillows with a content sigh as he watched Alice putter around the room; he smiled at the way she folded their discarded clothes (his favorite crease of concentration between her brows) and chuckled when she threw a pair of sleep pants in his direction.

"What?"

"You're looking smug," she retorted as she claimed his matching pajama top for herself and he slipped the pants on.

"I had a fantastic birthday present, sweetheart, I think I can bask in that for a bit."

He watched as the flush spread from the tips of her ears all the way down to her chest while she finished buttoning up the top; he smiled when she climbed onto the bed next to his hip and leaned in for a kiss.

"I love you," Alice whispered.

"I love you too," he ran a hand through her hair and kissed her again. "And thank you for the present, Alice, it was very nice."

"You're very welcome, and I think…"

She leaned over and picked up his watch, showing him the time with a smile.

"It's past midnight. So, happy birthday, my dearest Matthew."

He kissed her softly and smiled as she settled next to him under the covers - her head on his shoulder with an arm thrown across his waist and her legs tangled with his. As Alice traced idle designs on his chest, Matthew relaxed under her touch and he couldn't help but feel content with his life at this very moment: Alice was in his arms - sleepy and satisfied as usual after a round of love making - and their little girl slept on blissfully in the next room.

He was happy - very happy - and this week had been a much needed break for all of them; Anna's new title for him and asking him to be her dad had been all he hoped for, and the warmth in his chest returned at the thought of actually being her father. The dream of living in the new house with Alice and Anna - with '_Lawson'_ on the mail nameplate - bubbled back up again while he and Alice cuddled on the bed. He could accomplish that by asking Alice to marry him… maybe it was time to start planning and looking for a ring.

"I can hear you thinking," Alice teased.

Matthew chuckled under his breath and pressed a kiss to her forehead, "You can?"

"Mm-hm, what's on your mind?"

"Anna… she asked me if I was her dad."

"What did you say?"

"I asked her if she wanted me to be and she said yes, then she asked if I wanted her as my daughter."

Alice traced circles on his chest, "I'm assuming you said yes."

"Of course, but then she asked another question."

* * *

Alice laughed into his shoulder as his hand smoothed up and down her back. "She's our daughter, when does she not have another question?"

"True," Matthew kissed her forehead. "She asked… if she'd be called Anna Lawson now that I was her dad. I told her we'd have to be married and then I adopt her before she'd get a name change."

_Oh_.

She shifted on the bed next to him - her mind now wide awake at the direction their conversation was heading. So, Anna wanted a name change, and now that she was calling Matthew "Daddy", it would lead to more raised eyebrows and whispered questions at home in Ballarat. Alice knew the Blakes and their other loved ones would take it in stride; Matthew was her soulmate, it made sense for her daughter to view him as a father, but she and Matthew were still unmarried and society still looked down on unmarried people like them living together.

In Alice's mind, there was only one way to stop the whispered questions, and give everyone what they wanted.

When Matthew first brought up marriage, she'd been unsure about it; her knowledge about what married life was like had been varied - ranging from the Blakes to her own parents, and that spectrum was littered with safe marriages and vastly unhappy ones. At the time, they were still finding their feet as a couple and both of them agreed that they'd discuss marriage again in the future. And then, Anna came into their lives and (for Alice) the marriage question was silently tabled, but the daydream of a marriage lingered on the edge of their minds.

Think back over the past few months with Matthew and Anna growing closer - culminating in Anna finally asking him to be her dad this week - Alice realized that she was no longer unsure about being married to Matthew; the way they already were around each other and with Anna was like a married couple, all that would change would be the added rings and a signed piece of paper. The longer Alice thought about it, the more she liked the idea of her and Matthew being married.

"Sweetheart?"

She leaned into his soft kiss on her forehead with a smile. "Yes?"

"You went quiet."

"I was thinking."

"Huh," he kissed her forehead again, "I couldn't hear it."

Alice laughed at his teasing remark, "I was thinking quietly."

"What about?"

"Anna wanting a new name… and how she'd get it."

Matthew shifted underneath her and she looked up to see him watching her carefully, "What are you saying, Alice?"

Cradling his face in her hands, Alice leaned up and pressed a kiss to his lips. "Matthew Lawson, will you marry me?"

He was silent for a long moment - to the point that Alice was worried about what he'd say or do.

"I'm ready, Matthew… I wasn't before, but I am now. I _want_ to marry you."

"I thought I was the one who asked," he finally said with a soft smile.

Alice returned it, "Since when do we do things in the conventional way?"

"True, that's true," he leaned in for a kiss. "Yes, Alice, I'll marry you; I'd marry you tomorrow."

She beamed and kissed him back. "Could you imagine the looks on the Blakes' faces - or Sergeant Hobart's - if we came back from this holiday married? I have half a mind to do it just to see them."

Matthew snorted and muffled his laughter in her shoulder; Alice muffled her own with her hand as they struggled to stay quiet so not to wake Anna.

"You're a troublemaker, Alice Harvey."

"You like me as a troublemaker."

"I do," he kissed her as she laced her fingers with his. "I'll get you a ring soon, sweetheart, if you want to wear one."

"Of course I'll wear your ring, dearest; I'll wear it with pride."

He kissed her again - a giddy grin on his face as he rolled her beneath him; she wrapped her arms around his neck as he kissed her again and again - feeling him smile against her lips and along her jaw as he peppered her skin with light kisses until she giggled.

"We're going to get married," Alice smiled as he kissed her cheek.

"We are," Matthew kissed her firmly. "Anna's going to be so happy."

"She is, and eventually our mailbox will have '_Lawson_' on it."

"I look forward to it, sweetheart."

"Me too."


	5. Chapter 5

_last chapter of this installment! this story has been an absolute delight to write and mostly an indulgence on my part to have all the fluff. thank you so much for reading and enjoy! - Dee_

* * *

Alice stretched as she woke and smiled when she felt Matthew's arm around her waist; turning slowly to face him, her smile widened at the sight of his eyes blinking slowly in the early morning light - still unfocused as he woke.

"Morning," she kissed his cheek.

He caught her lips in a soft, sleepy kiss before she could draw back, "Morning, sweetheart."

"Still tired?"

"I had a busy night."

Alice chuckled - her fingers trailing over a blotchy reddish-purple bruises on Matthew's chest (the original marks were on her and hidden beneath her borrowed pajama top); they'd celebrated their engagement into the wee hours of the morning - leaving them both sore, but satisfied as they drifted off to sleep.

"I think we can get some more rest before Anna wakes up, dearest."

"Just a moment," Matthew leaned his forehead against hers and held her close, "I just want to stay here for a bit."

She smiled and wrapped her arms around his neck - periodically pressing soft, lingering kisses to his lips and cheeks. It seemed surreal to be engaged, and true she didn't have a ring (which wouldn't be for long if Matthew had anything to say about it), but a warmth bloomed in her chest at the thought of marrying Matthew. He was already hers, but now he'd be her husband and they could live together and raise Anna without any whispers spreading about it.

"Happy, sweetheart?" he kissed her softly as she trailed her fingers through his hair.

"Very. I'm very happy, dearest."

"Good," he kissed her again.

Alice smiled as she nuzzled his cheek - sighing when he kissed her forehead; this was perfect.

A noise interrupted the quiet of their bedroom and she sat up almost immediately; the noise repeated again and Matthew joined her.

"What is that?"

"I think it's Anna," Alice put a hand on his chest to keep him in place. "I'll go see what's wrong, dearest, stay here."

With a kiss to her cheek, Matthew settled back on the bed as she got up and hurried from the bedroom towards Anna. Knocking softly on the girl's door, Alice frowned as she heard the sound of her daughter crying.

"Anna? What's wrong?"

The door opened after a few moments and Alice's heart nearly broke at her daughter's tearful face. Kneeling down to her level, she tucked some hair behind Anna's ear that had gotten loose from her braid in the night.

"Darling, what's wrong?"

"Bad dream," Anna sniffled.

"Want to talk about it?" Alice held her close when she shook her head. "How about we go cuddle with dad?"

"Okay, can we look outside first?"

Alice nodded and picked up Anna so they could look out the window in the parlor; drawing the curtains back, Alice sighed at the sight of clouds and rain - with gathering storm clouds on the horizon. In her arms, Anna's lower lip trembled as the tears started again.

"No beach today, Anna, I'm sorry."

"But we were going to build the best castle yet for Daddy's birthday!"

"I know, my girl, I know," Alice soothed her daughter and wiped away her tears. "It's rotten luck, but we have plenty we can do inside today. Why don't we go grab Goose and your book and maybe we can convince Matthew to read to us."

Anna nodded, even as the frown stayed on her face, but she cuddled close as Alice walked back to her room to pick up her bear and book before heading back to Matthew. He'd evidently heard some of what went on because he'd gotten up and pulled on a singlet before they came into the bedroom.

"Someone not in a good mood today?" Matthew asked with a smile.

"Bad dream and it's on the verge of storming outside, so she's disappointed we're not going to the beach."

He nodded and held out his arms for Anna, "C'mere, sweetheart, you can sit with me and your mum."

"Mumma said we might get you to read," Anna whispered as she curled up next to Matthew.

"She did, did she? Well, I suppose we can see what Bilbo is up to today, and since we're not going anywhere we can do more than one chapter."

Anna perked up a bit at that and Alice handed over the book - Goose went into Anna's arms - as she gently kissed Matthew.

"Not going to stay, sweetheart?"

"I will, I'm just going to start the kettle for some tea."

Alice brought them tea - milk for Anna - and they all cuddled on the bed as Matthew dove back into Bilbo's adventure with Thorin Oakenshield and Company. By the time their tea finished, and they all trooped into the kitchen - Alice making breakfast this morning - Anna's mood had lifted significantly; she and Matthew had an enthusiastic conversation about the book as Alice made their pancakes.

After breakfast, Alice pulled out some board games and puzzles - brought just in case they experienced a rainy day - and most of the morning passed with laughter and fun. When they'd cleaned up from lunch, Alice and Anna shooed Matthew from the kitchen so they could work on his birthday cake (a simple yellow cake with chocolate frosting). He reclined on the couch - his girls eventually joining him - as the heavenly smell of the cake baking filled the cottage.

"Smells wonderful, sweetheart," Matthew told her with a kiss to the side of her head.

Alice shifted until Anna was comfortable on her lap, "Thank you, I just hope it doesn't burn."

"If it does, we can just cut off the burnt portions."

"_Matthew_!"

* * *

He grinned as Anna dissolved into giggles; Alice grumbled a bit more until he leaned over and kissed her. As Alice periodically went back to the kitchen to check on the cake, all three of them passed most of the afternoon reading their own books (Matthew had to smile at his girls curled up on the other end of the couch - Anna on Alice's lap as their daughter slowly read out loud with Alice helping her on the harder words). Anna followed her mother into the kitchen when the cake layers were finally done baking and he could hear all of Anna's questions as the cake cooled and they made the frosting.

This was his future, Matthew thought with a fond smile, this is what he got to look forward to once the repairs on Alice's house finished and they married. He looked forward to hearing Anna and Alice in the kitchen, to cooking with Anna, to making a house a home, to watching their daughter grow and do whatever she put her mind to - he hoped she'd have better opportunities than her parents, but with Alice Harvey as her mother, Matthew knew Anna would be no less ambitious.

Movement in the corner of his eye caught his attention and he looked up to Alice carrying his finished cake with lit candles on top - both she and Anna beaming from ear to ear. His girls sang to him as he drew Anna up onto his good knee.

"Can you help me, sweetheart? I don't think I can get all of these candles by myself."

"You're silly, Daddy," Anna laughed.

Alice shook her head with a fond smile and kissed his forehead, "Make a wish, dearest."

With a smile, Matthew squeezed her hand and pressed a kiss to the side of Anna's head before they both blew out the candles; as Alice cut the cake and all three of them enjoyed it (Anna ended up getting quite a bit of the frosting around her mouth), Matthew couldn't think of a better way to spend his birthday.

* * *

Mac pinched the bridge of her nose with a sigh as she debated on what she was about to do; eyeing the phone in front of her, she drummed her fingers on her desk for a long moment until she picked up the receiver and dialed the number Alice had given her.

It rang for a bit until someone picked up and Mac had to smile when she heard Anna's high-pitched voice on the other end.

"_Hello_?"

"Hello, Anna, this is Dr. Mac… do you remember me?"

"_Dr. Mac!_"

Mac's smile grew, "How are you?"

"_Good, I've had lots of fun at the beach and we made Daddy a cake for his birthday and made lots of sandcastles._"

"That sounds like lots of fun, Anna, I'm glad you're enjoying your vacation."

"_Me too! Do you need to talk to Mumma?_"

"Yes, I do, can you go get her for me, please?"

"_Uh-huh!_"

Mac chuckled as the girl laid the receiver down and she could hear her calling for Alice. Alice's muffled reply came a few moments later and soon her old mentee picked up the phone with a faint yawn.

"_Dr. Harvey._"

"Alice, it's Mac."

Instantly her colleague perked up, "_What can I do for you, Mac_?"

"I'm sorry to interrupt your vacation and to call so early in the morning, but I have some news for you… you might want to sit down."

"_What is it, Mac_?"

Letting out a slow breath, Mac scrubbed at her face before she answered, "It's your sister, Alice… she's here in Melbourne, in the hospital."

Mac heard the phone clatter to the floor and Anna's slightly panicked call of "_Mumma!_", followed quickly by Alice picking the phone back up.

"_What do you mean, she's in Melbourne? Has she been there all along? Why is she in the hospital_?"

"Slow down, Dr. Harvey," Mac placated her. "She broke her leg, we managed to fix it up, and she's married - which is probably the reason we didn't find her sooner."

"_So she's been in Melbourne for awhile_."

"I don't know, but her husband's been worried about her… he seems like a good man. I just… I know you've been looking for her and I wanted you to know. I don't know how all of this will go down, but… you can come up to Melbourne and see her."

Alice was quiet for a bit before she let out a sigh, "_Let me talk to Matthew and I'll let you know by the end of today… if that's alright._"

"Take all the time you need."

"_And… thank you for letting me know, Mac_."

"You're welcome, I hope it works out."

Alice gave her another quiet thank you before she hung up and Mac did the same. Leaning back in her chair, she hoped she'd done the right thing.

* * *

Alice looked out the window as they left Lorne behind; Anna slept in the back seat and she could feel Matthew's eyes on her as she fretted with the strap of her purse. They'd packed up the cottage earlier than planned after Alice told Matthew about her sister showing up in Melbourne. To him, it'd been no question about making a detour on the way home. ("_If it were my sister, I'd do the same thing you want to do right now, sweetheart, let's go."_) She'd held him tight and sighed as he kissed the side of her head - Anna wriggling her way in between them as the weight lifted up off her shoulders. Now, as they drove towards Melbourne, the reality of seeing the sister she hadn't seen in decades finally hit her - along with all the worry.

She wondered what life had been like for Cora after she ran away; had their father turned to beating her instead? Did she continue to spend time away from home? Was she happy in her marriage? Turning to watch Anna sleep behind her, Alice wondered if Cora had any children of her own. But the biggest thought echoing in her mind was the fear that Cora would want nothing to do with her.

It wouldn't be the end of the world if Cora hated her - Alice had her own family she'd forged over the years, but it would be nice if she could reconnect with the one good person of her childhood.

Matthew's hand curled around her knee and squeezed, "We'll figure it out sweetheart."

She didn't answer, she just laid her hand on top of his and continued to watch out the window. Alice had her worries and her fears about seeing Cora again, but with Matthew by her side and Anna's love, she'd be fine no matter what.


End file.
